Hortus Bellicus - Stuart Age Gunners

Make ready, prepare to give fire, FEUER!!!”

With these orders the public is introduced to the spectacle of the Artillery. I am Ols the Reisläufer, master gunner in Hortus Bellicus and your instructor in the art of artillery.

Artillery in the 17th Century did not have the same meaning as it does today, but described any missile weapons. It was Gustavus Adolphus of Swedes who revolutionized the use of smaller, lighter pieces thus increasing the mobility, rate of fire and as a result improved the effectiveness against foote (infantry).

The gun we use in Hortus Bellicus is a Falconet – 2 pounder which is a smaller field piece but with a higher mobility on the battlefield, the larger cannons were used as siege pieces. These guns were not intended to be moved until there was a victory or defeat in a battle/siege. Please note the meaning of “Cannon” defines a modern/generic term, in the Caroline era (17th Century) it categorised a particular size of artillery piece.
In general cannons in 17th Century warfare were clumsy, difficult to move and of limited effect except in siege work and in damaging morale on the field. Sir James Turner quotes Monluc in French “Il fait plus de peur, que du mal” (It frightens more than it hurts). Nevertheless, an army’s artillery trayne was regarded not as a lumbering impedimenta but as a vital part of its force. Especially as part of a battery or against troops and loaded with hail shot they would have had a devastating effect, by far outranging musketry opposing them.

Our gun is normally served by a crew of five, a Gunner, two Matrosses and two labourers. But if circumstances require also can be manned by fewer.
The gunner is also known as gun captain who should conduct in an orderly, efficient and workmanlike manner so as to optimize the use of his piece and crew.

The story so far:

1618 We were mustered into an artillery trayne raised for Hans-Ludwig von Erlach, later colonel under Christian von Braunschweig. This followed a decade of campaigning all over the German Lands against the Habsburgian-Hispano imperialists under Wallenstein, Tilly and Pappenheim. Fighting for the Lutheran cause under Christian IV, King of Denmark, Mansfeld and Braunschweig. During these years we learned the trade in the art of missle fyre / mechanics and tactics of artillery.

1630 Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, Lion of the North, Protestant Champion starts campaigning in the Northern German Lands and he is an equal match against Tilly and Wallenstein. Von Erlach was appointed adjutant to Gustavus Adolphus in that year and we fought for the Swedes.

1631 Breitenfeld, Master gunner Ols was put in charge of three formidable field pieces after the death of the battery commander. Ols put 2nd gunner Hagendorf in charge of his old field piece. During this period about 50,000 Scots were serving on the continent from the Lowlands (free Dutch State) to Poland. We have regularly enjoyed the hospitality of our fellow mercenaries the Mac-Keye under Monro who also were in the Swedes pay.

1639 We left the service of Bernard Duke of Saxe-Weimar forces in the German Lands and some of us followed the call of our old comrades in arms - the Mac-Keye to Scotland. The Bishop Wars, new service, we acquired a small field piece in the gun mills at Falkirk, manned by some of the old gun crew from the continent and a few local Scots...